Your Turn — June 10, 2013

Updated 2:40 pm, Sunday, June 9, 2013

Another way the Spurs contribute to the city — stress relief, according to a longtime fan.

Another way the Spurs contribute to the city — stress relief, according to a longtime fan.

Photo: Abbey Oldham, San Antonio Express-News

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A reader praises the VA for the care and treatment it has provided veterans over the years.

A reader praises the VA for the care and treatment it has provided veterans over the years.

Photo: Andrew Harrer, Bloomberg

Your Turn — June 10, 2013

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Another era

Re: “Taco Land to reopen this summer with a nod toward its legendary roots,” Business, May 31:

I was surprised to learn that no one seems to remember this location going back further than 1965. The place was already in business, surrounded by the Slater-White Cleaners, the R.C. Bottling Co. and, across the river, the Metzger Dairy Co.

I remember walking after school from Hawthorne Junior High School around 1957 or 1958 because my father worked there. It was a simple, little restaurant with Mexican food and beer — nothing fancy.

In my opinion, I believe that Rick Perry will go down in history as one of Texas' worst governors.

He says that he vetoed the dark money bill because it violates our civil rights. This is a lie; he couldn't care less about our rights — it's all about money, big money that buys elections.

The sooner he is out of office, the better it will be for Texas. He has made our state the laughing stock of all the other 49.

Pair him with Ted Cruz and you have a lethal cocktail.

M.F. Rundell

Just a dream

I had a dream recently. In this dream, I was at a party attended by Gov. Rick Perry. It got late, and people were leaving, and I saw my chance to speak to the governor. I asked him, “Why not help the poor and elderly? Why not accept the funding for the Affordable Care Act, which Congress passed and which was found to be constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court?”

While I do not know his exact circumstances, I am a Vietnam War veteran and have nothing but praise for the VA and its actions and treatments of me.

After moving back to the area in 2006, I have been continuously treated at the Audie Murphy VA hospital and the Frank Tejeda Clinic for various problems. At those two places I have found the staff and doctors to be nothing but courteous and competent, and having gone through an MRI, CT scan, biopsies, heart monitors, as well as all the routine physicals and immunizations, I have nothing but praise.

The VA keeps on top of all the test result notifications and apprises me of appointments coming up.

When charged, it was a reasonable charge, compared to what I would have to pay under Obamacare, for which I have nothing but disdain. The facilities, while crowded, are clean and neat, not like the VA of old.

Sometimes, I have had to wait a bit for certain treatments, but if it is too long, they send me to a civilian doctor and foot the bill.

It is much better than the health care in the several countries I have lived in that have socialized medicine, and I feel the VA should be congratulated for the job they accomplish, especially considering the numbers of veterans receiving care now.

The only thing surprising about the current sex scandals in the armed forces is the fact that people claim to be surprised by them.

When this started, back in the '70s, I was a captain in the Texas Army National Guard. I remember telling my commanding officer, “This is gonna cause trouble.” He asked me why, so I told him:

“Sir,” I said, “It should be obvious. Any time you put young, virile men, many of whom are single or divorced, in charge of young women, there's gonna be sexual activity. Some of it may be consensual, some of it may not be, but it's gonna happen. It's simply the natural result of the situation. It's inevitable. There's no way anyone can prevent or stop it. All the orders the Army can issue aren't gonna prevent guys from going after girls.”

I made that prediction nearly 40 years ago.

Current headlines prove I was absolutely right.

C.F. Eckhardt

Love the Spurs

San Antonio loves the Spurs.

Years ago, I had season tickets. Now in my 80s, I sit in my recliner and watch the games, and I yell at the television.

It dawned on me that the Spurs help their fans release tension when they go to the games or watch at home.

When the cameras pan the audience, the fans are yelling, jumping, laughing, high-fiving, etc., and it shows how good that is for one's body.

If you had a hard day at work, at home with the kids, or with life in general, what a relief of tension.